The Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme

What is the Duke of Edinburgh Award?

The Award is a four-Section programme with three levels:

• Bronze Award (for people aged 14 and over)
• Silver Award (for people aged 15 and over)
• Gold Award (for people aged 16 and over)

The Sections involve:

• Service: (helping people in the community)
• Skills: (covering almost any hobby, skill or interest)
• Physical Recreation: (sport, dance and fitness)
• Expeditions: (training for, planning and completing a journey on foot or horseback, by boat or cycle)

How Long Does It Take?

It would usually take a participant between 6-12 months to complete a Bronze Award; 12-18 months for a Silver Award and 18-24 months for a Gold Award. It may take less time for completion of the Silver or Gold Awards if the participant holds the preceding Award. All Awards must be completed by the participant's 25th birthday.

Benefits of Completing The Award

The Award is widely recognised by employers and people involved in education. Some of the benefits to young people include developing self-confidence and self-reliance; gaining a sense of achievement and a sense of responsibility; discovering new skills, interests and talents and developing leadership skills and abilities. They can also discover exciting opportunities; make new friends; experience teamwork, problem-solving and decision-making; increase their motivation; enhance their self-esteem and develop their communication skills. They will also, of course, have fun!

The Government has recognised that the Award has a valuable role to play within a young person's personal development. The Award is closely linked with many Government initiatives across the UK.

The Award gives opportunities for young people to:

• enjoy a wide variety of physical, creative and aesthetic experiences which encourage     personal growth and development;
• experience new lifestyles and cultures outside their own immediate neighbourhood, possibly abroad;
• experience a variety of learning and teaching styles with people from different walks of life;
• take decisions of increasing complexity and accept responsibility for the consequences;
• discover new talents and abilities and test values and beliefs;
• give a continuing personal commitment of service to others;
• establish and sustain inter-personal relationships;
• negotiate their own personal programme of participation, seeking out and researching relevant information, and gradually take responsibility for their own learning;
• understanding their strengths and weakness, assess their personal level of competence, increase their own personal effectiveness and take responsibility for their own lives having a great time!

Want To Know More?

To know more about the award click here: www.dofe.org

Or to read about the Award within Explorer Scouting Click here: www.scouts.org.uk/explorers